I have not read any scientific studies that would lead me to conclude that there are adverse impacts to human beings or to animals or to plant life at this small level of climate change.

While it is absolutely galling that Corbett would have the audacity to nominate someone for the post of protecting our environment who has not read anything at all about the human impact on climate change, it is not unexpected.

However, I was the only member of the State Senate yesterday to hold Corbett’s nominee accountable, ask hard questions, and vote against his nomination.

As an environmentalist, I believe it is of the highest imperative to protect our natural resources, and am willing to stand up to anti-environment politicians like Corbett to do what is right — and that is what I want to do when I am elected to Congress.

Leach was the only senator to oppose moving Abruzzo’s nomination out of committee for consideration by the full 50-member Senate, expected within the next week.

He said he believed Abruzzo, a longtime prosecutor who later served as a deputy chief of staff to Corbett, had “no obvious experience in environmental protection, and that manifests itself in things like not knowing the science behind climate change.”

“This is not a reflection on you,” said Leach. “There are many positions that you would be qualified for. I do not think this is one of them.”